Archeologists have unearthed the remains of a 4,500-year-old Egyptian temple where visitors would sky-gaze while on the roof.
The building’s remains were found at Abu Ghurab, about nine miles south of the Egyptian capital Cairo and five miles west of the River Nile.
A ‘huge’ building exceeding 10,000 sq ft (1,000 square metres), the temple was dedicated to the deity Ra, the sun god and father of all creation.
It was constructed on the orders of Pharaoh Nyuserre Ini, who reigned from approximately 2420 BC to 2389 BC during Egypt‘s Fifth Dynasty.
According to Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, it had a public calendar of religious events carved into blocks and a roof for astronomical observation.
Photos show several well-persevered elements recovered from the site, including wall fragments featuring hieroglyphics and shards of pottery.
‘With a unique architectural plan, it makes it one of the largest and most prominent temples of the valley,’ the ministry said in a translated Facebook post.
‘Carved stone fragments of fancy white limestone are also found, alongside large quantities of pottery.’
The lost Egyptian temple about 10 miles south of Cairo has been unearthed 4,500 years after it was built in honour of the sun god Ra
The roof of the valley temple was probably used for astronomical observations, according to archaeologists from Italy who led the expedition
The site was identified as early as 1901 by the German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt, but groundwater levels were too high for excavations to be carried out.
But the latest excavations, which commenced in 2024, have uncovered more than half of the temple, previously buried under sediment, the ministry said.
Work there has revealed the entrance of the temple, including the original entrance floor and the remains of a circular granite column, likely part of the entrance’s porch.
Portions of the original stone cladding of the corridor walls have also been unearthed, as well as a number of architectural elements such as granite shingles and doors.
The mission has also discovered the remains of an internal staircase leading to the roof in the northwestern part of the temple – likely a secondary entrance – and a slope believed to have linked the temple to the Nile or one of its branches.
‘The roof of the valley temple was probably used for astronomical observations but not for the celebration of the festivals,’ Massimiliano Nuzzolo, an archaeologist and excavation co-director, told Live Science.
Meanwhile, the lower level was ‘used as a landing stage for the boats approaching it from the Nile or, more likely, from one of its side channels’.
The expedition also found a distinctive collection of artifacts, including two wooden pieces of the ancient Egyptian ‘Senet’ game, resembling modern chess.
The ancient Egyptians enjoyed playing board games, archeological remains of playing piece fragments show, including ‘Senet’ resembling modern chess
Photo show several well-persevered elements recovered from the site, including wall fragments featuring hieroglyphics and shards of pottery
‘The sanctuary thus became a dwelling and one of the favourite local [games] was probably playing senet,’ Nuzzolo added.
Preliminary studies indicate that the temple, after ending its role as a place of worship, was transformed into a small residential area inhabited by locals.
Further excavation work at the site could reveal more about its history before it was smothered by sediment from the Nile.
‘The mission is preparing to continue its work in the coming seasons to explore more elements of this important archaeological site,’ the ministry statement added.
‘Removing the curtain on new details [will] add much to understanding the origin and evolution of the Sun Temples in ancient Egypt.’
Known for his devotion to the sun god, Pharaoh Nyuserre Ini was the sixth of nine kings who reigned during Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty, which ruled Egypt for about 150 years.
The Fifth Dynasty pharaohs closely identified themselves with Ra, building temples in the deity’s honour.
Hieroglyphic inscriptions found in the valley temple include a public calendar detailing religious events
The mission has first succeeded in uncovering more than half the temple, where a huge building exceeding 1000 square meters appeared
According to the belief at the time, Ra was the king of the deities and the father of all creation, as well as the deity who governed the actions of the sun.
The Egyptians were an agricultural society living in a desert, so not surprisingly, the sun – and thereby Ra – was an integral component of their cosmos, guiding their thoughts and actions.
Egyptians in this region relied on the sun and the Nile and the rich, fertile soil that surrounded the river for sustenance, such as bread, beer and vegetables.
Beer was not simply a staple food for the living, but ‘a symbol of status and authority’, important in elite feasting and burial rituals ‘in this life and the next’.
It would have been ‘a thick porridge’ – likely cloudy and sweet with a low alcoholic content – that was mostly made from wheat, barley and grass.
